Wolfpack Softball Drops Second Game to UNLV

Thursday, March 10

Las Vegas, Nev.

5:00 PM

NC State

23-11

UNLV (UNLV Tourn.)

14-9

NC State

UNLV

3/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

March 10, 2005

Box Score

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - UNLV's (14-9) Shannon Crisp five innings and allowed two Wolfpack home runs, but held on for the win over NC State (23-11) to improve to 5-0 on the season. UNLV won 4-2 and scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after the Wolfpack took a 2-0 lead on back-to-back home runs in the top half of the inning. Jacque Kerrigan (S, 2) struck out three batters and pitched the final two innings to notch the save for the Runnin' Rebels. Abbie Sims (9-5) took the loss despite lowering her ERA to 0.60.

Sims struck out ten and allowed five hits and four unearned runs in the loss. Miranda Ervin went 2-for-2 with a double and a home run to lead the offense, and Allison Cuculich hit a home run, her second of the season, in three at-bats.

Miranda Ervin doubled to lead off the third inning, but the run would be stranded on third as NC State couldn't push the first run of the game across. Sims scattered three hits over the first four innings, striking out six in the process.

In the top half of the fifth, Allison Cuculich gave NC State a 1-0 lead with her second home run in the last four games, a solo shot to right centerfield on a 2-2 pitch. Miranda Ervin followed a few pitches later with a solo laser to right field, giving the Wolfpack a 2-0 lead with the second back-to-back home runs in school history.

The Runnin' Rebels answered with four unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth, as two Cuculich errors on tough plays at first push UNLV ahead 4-2. UNLV collected only one hit in the inning, and just three for the game. Morgan Bostick hit a two-run single in the inning to bring in the go ahead runs.

Tess Corona reached on a bunt, as the third baseman's throw to first was dropped by the first baseman with two outs. Shaina Ervin popped out to the shortstop to end the game.

In last season's 6-4 win over Eastern Illinois on Mar. 13, 2004, Shaina Ervin and Cuculich hit back-to-back home runs for the first time in school history.